Edina's Clayton Phillips (18) pokes the puck away from Wayzata's Griffin Ness (22) as Hornets goalie Kobi Boe protects the net. Photo by Rick Orndorf

Edina’s upperclassmen are doing a lot of driving, both on and off the ice.

The Hornets’ 17 juniors and seniors are the force propelling the team as it attempts to win a third consecutive Class 2A state title. But the upperclassmen are also providing a variety of lifts for many of the team’s underclassmen.

“(The upperclassmen) always have our backs, giving us rides all the time,” sophomore forward Bram Scheerer said with a laugh. “The older guys take really good care of us.” 

Do they ever.

Senior forwards Dylan Malmquist and Matt Masterman each scored two goals as Edina rolled over Lake Conference rival Wayzata 8-0 at the Plymouth Ice Center on Thursday night.

Junior forward Garrett Wait and senior defenseman Ben Foley finished with a goal apiece for the Hornets (19-1-2, 5-0-0), ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A coaches poll.

Edina led 4-0 after the first period and added two more goals in the second to force the game into running time at the start of the third.

The Hornets remained atop the league standings and extended their unbeaten streak to 16 games with the win over the No. 8-2A Trojans (10-10-2, 3-3-0), who are tied with Eden Prairie for second place in the conference.

While the upperclassmen have been fueling the Hornets' season, the six underclassmen have been a key additive to the varsity team.

The two freshmen and four sophomores have combined for 14 goals and 44 points this season.

Scheerer and freshman defenseman Clayton Phillips each had a goal in the victory over Wayzata. 

Scheerer, who plays on the Hornets’ power-play unit, has two goals and eight points this season, while Phillips, a starter on the blue line, has three goals and eight assists.

Both players bring some big-game experience to the varsity team after spending last season with the Edina Bantam AA team that finished third in the state.

Edina coach Curt Giles said all his younger players -  sophomores Luke Johnson (two assists), Ryan Moon, Ben Copeland (six goals, 17 points) and freshman Sam Walker (three goals, six points) - have made an impact on the varsity team.

“All those kids have stepped up and played big roles for us,” Giles said. 

Scheerer and Phillips both said the coaches help the underclassmen keep their focus while playing on the varsity.

“They make sure we never stop working,” Phillips added. “That makes it a lot easier to keep pushing forward.”

So do the upperclassmen, whose leadership is key to the on-ice production of the underclassmen, Giles said.

“The best thing for those young kids is having those older kids there to guide them through the process,” Giles said. 

When asked if he questions whether to turn the younger players loose on the ice, Giles didn’t pause in answering. 

“They’re good players. They’re responsible players, and they work hard,” Giles said. “So I don’t hesitate at all.”

It seems as if the mix of experience and youth has Edina's engine running smooth at the optimal time: with the regular season nearing the finish line and the postseason approaching fast.


Wayzata defenseman Hank Sorensen splits the Hornets' defense for a shot on goal in a 8-0 loss to Edina. Photo by Rick Orndorf

First Report

Senior forwards Dylan Malmquist and Matt Masterman each scored two goals as Edina rolled to an 8-0 victory over Lake Conference rival Wayzata at the Plymouth Ice Center on Thursday. 

The goals increased the season totals to 21 for Malmquist and Masterman, who are tied with second-most on the team.

The Hornets scored four goals in the first period, highlighted by Malmquist’s beautiful backhand wrist shot that gave Edina a 2-0 lead with less than 7 minutes to play.

Senior defenseman Ben Foley netted a goal 4 minutes later when he sidestepped a Trojans’ defender and fired a wrist shot into the back of the net.

Junior forward Garrett Wait, sophomore forward Bram Scheerer and freshman defenseman Clayton Phillips each finished with a goal for the Hornets (19-1-2, 5-0-0), who are ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A coaches poll and atop the Lake Conference standings. 

The game entered the third period with running time, shortening the third meeting between the teams. Edina defeated Wayzata 6-3 at Braemar Ice Arena on Jan. 17, and the teams skated to a 3-3 tie in the Turkey Trot Tournament championship at the Plymouth Ice Center on Nov. 22. The Hornets, however, took home the event’s trophy by winning the shootout following the overtime. 

Edina senior goalie Kobi Boe stopped all 14 shots to earn his fifth shutout of the season.

Junior goaltenders Alex Schilling and Bill Arndt combined to make 19 saves for the No. 8-2A Trojans (10-10-2, 3-3-0), who are tied with Eden Prairie for second place in the Lake. 

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